my Spring Fling road trip

dawnmarie313

Tuesday, March 30, 2004 10:44 PM

Tina's Spring Fling trip report is an awesome account of the weekend and she's just dead on in her coaster descriptions. Here's a few ;) of my notes from the weekend:

Left rainy Champaign, IL about 1:30pm on Thursday afternoon in my rental car, a cute blue Focus. I'm pretty sure my Volvo would have made the trip fine, as it's managed to go 225,000 miles already, but it was worth $100 to have cruise control, air conditioning, better gas mileage, and total peace of mind. Did the first loooooong stretch of my drive through central and southern Illinois and stopped for a minute just before leaving the state (250 miles later...Illinois is long) to stretch my legs. Hopped back in the car and crossed the bridge over the Ohio river into Kentucky, where the sun was shining, and continued to shine until my return to Illinois on Sunday. The drive across Kentucky and Tennessee was beautiful, from hills to little mountains with green growth all around, it really put the *spring* in my Spring Fling weekend. Stopped again for dinner at Chick-Fil-A (love that stuff) just outside of Nashville and asked the teenager at the counter if I was far enough south for sweet tea. He looked at me crazy-like and said, "so you want sweet tea?" I said yes, and let him know that where I come from (I said Chicago) you can't get sweet tea. He shook his head in disbelief and asked me twice if I was serious. I assured him I was. As he's bagging up my chicken sandwich and yummy waffle fries, he says to his co-workers, "Did y'all know you can't get sweet tea in Chicago?" They all laughed and said "Yeah, right." He gave me my order with an amused smile and I said, "You just rocked their worlds...and they don't even believe you." The whole exchange was pretty amusing for both of us. The sweet tea was delicious, and I got a refill before getting back in the car.

The really cool drive is from Nashville to Chattanooga, and it was dark by now, and the stars and the lights from the towns in the hills were pretty. Also of note were the Tennessee Alabama Fireworks stores just off the highway, with their signs brighter than all the neon of Vegas and Times Square combined. I wish I'd gotten a picture.

Though the drive passed amazingly fast due to my book on CD, I was beginning to feel a bit of fatigue just inside Georgia, and stopped for a 20-ounce gas station coffee (bad move) and a stretch. Arrived at the hotel in the 'burbs about 12:30am local time and took a long shower and hopped into bed, body exhausted but brain seriously BUZZING from the coffee. Took me hours and hours to fall asleep and was plagued with crazy dreams all night.

Woke up Friday and went in search of a WalMart to buy socks, since I'd forgotten to pack them; bought socks and another $50 worth of crap. I hate that store. Stopped at a Publix to pick up my season pass voucher, grabbed fast food lunch and met Tina (coasterqueen) at the hotel. Did the Coke thing (see Tina's TR). Now, this was my second visit to the World of Coca-Cola, but I had to try the Beverly again, just to confirm it was as disgusting as remembered. And yes, it was. After some MARTA difficulties, Tina and I made it out to SFoG and met up with Bill (rollergator) & Jill, Ed (chillforce) & Keith (?), Joe (legendary) & Brian (homeyg) & Keith (?) and got in line for Batman. Rode near the back and WOW, as intense as any of these. My coaster starved body was a bit overwhelmed by the loops, and I was like a happy stumbling drunk after that first ride. We all headed over to Mind Bender, where Brian showed me the joys of the front seat. The first ride, and the dozens thereafter were all amazing, and I am sooooooo in love with that coaster that I packed it up and brought it back to Illinois with me. The Focus has a very roomy trunk. Sorry guys. ;) We also all hit Scorcher, which is the most enjoyable stand-up I've ridden, and Cyclone (in the words of Strong Bad, "holyfreakin'crap", and in my words, "ow, my thigh, but in a good way"), and finally Acrophobia, my first experience with those types of drop rides. I was scared but brave, and enjoyed it enough to run back to an empty seat for a second ride. :)

All headed back to the hotel for drinks (really too many for before dinner) and had a silly good time at Applebee's, for hours and hours and hours. Back to the hotel for hot tub and bed. Tina woke up early for the ERT, but I decided I'd rather sleep and met everyone at the park at 10:00am, which also gave me time to get my season pass processed. For the first time in many seasons, I don't have a completely messed up expression on my face in the picture. Bonus! Did Superman (fun, just not my thing) and several spins on GASM (ooh ahh so pretty :) ), then hooked up with Brian, Joe, Keith, Tommy, and James (those last two--non-Buzzers--being completely crazy bastrads who made me laugh way too much). All to the buffet...normal buffet food, tasted fine, then Brian, Joe, and myself signed up for the sky coaster and Brian and I stood around a lot waiting on Joe & crew while rode Superman. My first sky coaster experience was amazing, and totally fun. Brian and Joe provided a lot of commentary to try and scare me on the ride up, so I pinched Brian's arm very hard until he stopped and told Joe to stop. Brian reports that he wasn't bruised, so I don't feel too bad about it. :) Did the Riverview Carousel (cool, my parents rode it!) the indoor scrambler, fun, but not really worth the wait, then one final spin on Cyclone with Brian before I rejoined Bill, Jill, and Tina for the amazing evening ERT. It's a delight to ride Cyclone with Brian, he really does love it, going so far as to "kiss" the station and the lift. It's so cool to be around someone who's completely into something like that. Makes me happy and makes my experience special too. Said goodbye to Brian, who was heading home, and went to the presentation and ERT, which were as mentioned by Tina, totally AWESOME. It really was a classy event all around, and definitely on my list for next year, too. Post-ERT, hit Waffle House (yum!) with several of my crazy new friends, then a short stint in the hot tub before bed. Tina was up and on her way to Carowinds by 6:00am, I slept 'til about 10:00am and said good bye to Bill & Jill before hitting the road back to Illinois. The drive home seemed to take much longer, but again, I was kept alert by another book on CD and lots of music and phone calls. Got to the southernmost part of Illinois before dark and hopped off the interstate to see Superman in his hometown, and then hit the local casino to stimulate the local economy and do my bit for public education (translation: I lost $40). Back to the car and the Illinois rain started, and continued, pretty heavily for the remainder of the trip. Arrived home safely, tired, sunburned (who wears sunscreen in March?), and happy. Thanks for the weekend all! *** Edited 3/31/2004 4:08:13 AM UTC by dawnmarie313***

"Want to be upside down, maybe thrown from side to side" - The New Pornographers, The Fake Headlines

rollergator

dawnmarie313 said:Tina's Spring Fling trip report is an awesome account of the weekend and she's just dead on in her coaster descriptions.

She just knows who to hang with...;)

Here's a few ;) of my notes from the weekend:

Yes...a few...

Stopped again for dinner at Chick-Fil-A

Eat Mor Chikin

...I was far enough south for sweet tea. He looked at me crazy-like and said, "so you want sweet tea?" I said yes, and let him know that where I come from (I said Chicago) you can't get sweet tea. He shook his head in disbelief and asked me twice if I was serious. I assured him I was.

/Clint Eastwood: "Dead serious"...

As he's bagging up my chicken sandwich and yummy waffle fries, he says to his co-workers, "Did y'all know you can't get sweet tea in Chicago?" They all laughed and said "Yeah, right." He gave me my order with an amused smile and I said, "You just rocked their worlds...and they don't even believe you." The whole exchange was pretty amusing for both of us. The sweet tea was delicious, and I got a refill before getting back in the car.

/mmmmmmmmmmm.....Sweet Tea....:)

Woke up Friday and went in search of a WalMart to buy socks, since I'd forgotten to pack them; bought socks and another $50 worth of crap. I hate that store.

dawn loves shopping like I love coasters...

Now, this was my second visit to the World of Coca-Cola, but I had to try the Beverly again, just to confirm it was as disgusting as remembered.

I escaped SFMM this year without a ride on Psyclone, for a change....so I can relate...

Tina and I made it out to SFoG and met up with Bill (rollergator) & Jill, Ed (chillforce) & Keith (?), Joe (legendary) & Brian (homeyg) & Keith (?) and got in line for Batman. Rode near the back and WOW, as intense as any of these.

The "phenomenally-cool Richard", an older gentleman op-ing Batman, said it had just gotten rehabbed...sure felt like it, and clearly the smoothest B:TR ride I can remember in recent years...FAST, furious. Feet.Feel.Heavy. P.S. Give Richard a raise!

We all headed over to Mind Bender, where Brian showed me the joys of the front seat. The first ride, and the dozens thereafter were all amazing, and I am sooooooo in love with that coaster that I packed it up and brought it back to Illinois with me. The Focus has a very roomy trunk. Sorry guys. ;)

Warned ya...:)

We also all hit Scorcher, which is the most enjoyable stand-up I've ridden

Glad to see I'm not the only Scorcher fan, smoothness being utmost, and a VARIETY of forces, not TOO "loopy"

Cyclone (in the words of Strong Bad, "holyfreakin'crap", and in my words, "ow, my thigh, but in a good way")

It is NOT one of those "new-age woodies" from Intamin, it is *bucking* airtime, LOL....

...Acrophobia, my first experience with those types of drop rides. I was scared but brave, and enjoyed it enough to run back to an empty seat for a second ride. :)

...and I finally really *got* the tilting thing from those seats, after 15-20 previous rides....you MUST look at the ground to really appreciate it. Thanks for convincing me to grab that final ride, dawn...:)

Back to the hotel for hot tub and bed. Tina woke up early for the ERT, but I decided I'd rather sleep and met everyone at the park at 10:00am, which also gave me time to get my season pass processed.

After SRM, I have NO room to talk about morning ERTs...

Did the Riverview Carousel (cool, my parents rode it!)

Now in it's second century of operation, MUCH props to the rollback!

Said goodbye to Brian, who was heading home, and went to the presentation and ERT, which were as mentioned by Tina, totally AWESOME. It really was a classy event all around, and definitely on my list for next year, too.

See ya there, dawn....same hotel?

then hit the local casino to stimulate the local economy and do my bit for public education (translation: I lost $40).

Homey G.

Nitro Dave

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 3:04 AM

I'll definitely be the only one to comment on this, but hey, that's what I'm here for. :)

What did you think of the book on CD? I'm assuming from the "drive flew by" comment that you enjoyed it. This is a completely biased perspective, of course, but Paul Krugman teaches here at Princeton and his lectures are often very lowly rated in the student course guide, and many of his economic predictions are often proven wrong or end up being based on information that may not be entirely true. I've been considering giving it a read, but the man has an awfully controversial reputation here.

+Danny

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 6:38 AM

I wuv my Dawn-ey! ;) You too Tina, Brian, Joe, Ed, Bill, Keith,... Sorry I couldn't be there with you guys, but plans fell apart at the end of the week. All of your (plural) TRs rocked and were great reads.

See some of you at PKI next weekend and the rest of you later this season. We may just have to do Superhero Celebration at SFNE afterall. =D

coasterqueenTRN

Den

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 10:27 AM

Mmm, sweet tea. You can't get it in Columbus either, except at Cracker Barrel and City Barbeque, and at both places I have to add more sugar. Lipton's Extra Sweet "Southern Style" bottled tea is pretty good, but still not sweet enough.

Good sweet tea is the same color as apple cider. :)

[url="http://www.livejournal.com/users/denl42"]My blog[/url]
You said, "I'm gonna run you down." I heard, "I'm an orangutan."

Rampage

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:20 AM

Hey Dawn, it's Josh. Nice TR. The Waffle House part brought back all thosse horid memories of 7 orders being scattered around. We like to never got out of there! Hope to see you at other events in the future....

Happiness is like peeing your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth. Trip pics are here: http://www.pbase.com/jhbd99.

Kick The Sky

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 11:42 AM

I am planning on moving to Florida in the near future and one of the things keeping me is the fact that you can only get sweet tea there. I've had a hell of a time finding restaurants down there that serve unsweetened tea. To me sweet tea just tastes like sugar water.

Homey G.

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 2:08 PM

Flying Curls of Death DID happen and were universally better than the flesh, sinnew and bone being pinched from the underside of my arm (think of that tender place halfway between your armpit and elbow below your tricep). Love ya Dawn! :)

Brian, who can hide THAT bruise much better than the 3 marks on my right arm I recieved at Belmont which looked strikingly like "claw" marks. Man, I need to do my other TRs. :(

dawnmarie313

Wednesday, March 31, 2004 2:40 PM

Nitro Dave: Perhaps I overstated the ability of Krugman's book to make time "fly." The first disc (basically a really long introduction) was interesting and he calls the Bush administration a "regeime of revolutionary change" or something, but he doesn't mean it in a good way. The second disc (him reading his columns) was a little more dry, and a bit over my head. I kept up as long as I could, but then stopped for the giant coffee and switched to music. :) The book I listened to on the way home however, was very engaging.